S5 E7 Act 2 According to Harpy
by Harpy101
Summary: Action in italics. Two more acts forthcoming in this episode, and then the season finale.


**Act 2**

MOSELEY COTTAGE. DAY.

_Baxter arrives at the door with a small basket on her arm._

_She knocks._

_Mosely Sr. answers the door._

MOSELY SR  
Miss Baxter. Good morning.

BAXTER  
How are you this morning?

MOSELY SR  
Fine, I-

BAXTER  
Millicent made some of those mince  
tarts you like. I'm afraid Joe  
will be working through today, but  
I thought it might be nice for you  
and I to have a cup.

MOSELY SR  
Yes. Please come in.

_Baxter sets the basket on the table and is taking off her_  
_hat._

BAXTER  
How is your rheumatism this  
morning? Better, I hope? Or  
should we-

MOSELY SR.  
Phyllis.

_She stops and smiles at his use of her name. Then she sees_  
_his expression._

BAXTER  
What is it?

MOSELY SR  
I hope-I hope I have not betrayed  
you.

BAXTER  
Good heavens!

_She is still smiling, but Mosely Sr. continues, gravely._

MOSELY SR  
There is someone waiting for you in  
the garden. The-the young lord  
spoke so persuasively about the  
need to see you that I invited him  
to wait. I hadn't the heart to  
turn him away.

_Baxter turns and looks toward the back door._

MOSELY SR (CONT'D)  
I hope I did you no wrong. If you  
want, I will tell him to go. You  
can-

_Baxter puts a hand on his shoulder._

BAXTER  
No, you didn't do wrong. I must-I  
will see him.

_Baxter walks by Mosely Sr. and toward the back door. He_  
_turns to watch her, worried._

VIOLET'S ROOMS, THE ESTATE:

_Mary, in traveling outfit, is seated in Violet's parlour._  
_Violet sits close to her in the wheelchair._

VIOLET  
The most eloquent apology is a  
change of one's behavior.

MARY  
Yes. But I must convince her now-

VIOLET  
No. You must not try to convince  
her.

MARY  
What shall I do?

VIOLET  
Be honest with her.

_Mary thinks._

MARY  
But how-

VIOLET  
Keeping the child in London now  
would be foolish at any rate. Even,  
it seems, possibly dangerous?

MARY  
Yes.

VIOLET  
And you wanted to bring the family  
closer.

MARY  
Yes.

VIOLET  
How do you feel about the child?

MARY  
I want to know her. I want her  
here. She's my niece. She is a  
Crawley. Unless there was a secret  
marriage.

VIOLET  
You will leave that part out.

_Mary shakes her head._

MARY  
Of course. I-

VIOLET  
Why is Edith not returning letters?  
Why are you and she so distant?

MARY  
It's my fault. I've always been-

VIOLET  
It's hers, as well. But this is  
not the time for that revelation.

MARY  
(Sighs.) No.

VIOLET  
Mary, tell her the truth. But you  
must allow her to set the terms.  
If you want what you say you want,  
you will give her the choice.

MARY  
I don't remember how this all  
began. Or when it took this turn.  
It was all so long ago.

VIOLET  
Sometimes bad feelings can start as  
a game but then gain momentum over  
time, like some beastly machine,  
and it seems impossible to stop it.  
It's not a complicated action to  
stop it. But it takes some  
abandonment of pride.

_Mary gazes at Violet with some wonderment._

MARY  
How do you come by it all,  
Grandmother?

_Violet gestures vaguely._

VIOLET  
Live long enough, my dear. It all  
comes by you eventually.

_Cora enters, also in traveling clothes._

CORA  
Mary, the car is ready.

VIOLET  
I miss Edith. Do you?

_Cora and Mary look at her in solemn agreement._

VIOLET (CONT'D)  
Then, tell her.

HUGHES' OFFICE. DAY.

_Hughes enters her office and stops in mid-stride. She goes_  
_to her desk, where a bouquet of white roses sits._

_She opens the card, which reads,_ "Would you please join me  
for dinner on Saturday night?"

_Hughes laughs._

BACK COURTYARD. DAY.

_Ian knocks at the servant's entrance; he has brought_  
_Daisy's bicycle._

_Patmore opens the door. She sees Ian and strolls outside,_  
_hands on hips, as Ian tips his hat._

FRONT DRIVE. DAY.

_A car pulls up._

_Blake helps Cora and Mary into the back. Bates takes his_  
_seat in front._

_Blake stands next to the car._

BLAKE  
I don't like this.

MARY  
We can't show up with the whole  
tribe in tow. We'd look like  
racketeers.

BLAKE  
Still-

CORA  
And we won't be in any danger. We  
just want to talk to Edith.

BLAKE  
If you can't persuade her-

MARY  
I don't know. I'll think of  
something.

_Blake moves to the front of the car._

BLAKE  
Bates. You'll be careful, won't  
you?

BATES  
I will, Mr. Blake.

MARY  
Charles, that's enough now.

BLAKE  
I could come after. Just behind  
you. In case I'm needed.

MARY  
You're needed here tonight. We've  
abandoned Papa to dinner with Miss  
Bunting.

_The car begins to pull away._

And Miss Bunting to Papa.

BLAKE  
I'll be waiting. Call, if you need  
me to come.

_Blake goes back into the house._

_As soon as Blake is back inside another car rounds the drive_  
_and nearly screeches to a stop._

THE MOSELEY ROSE GARDEN. DAY.

_Baxter enters the garden. The young lord turns. They gaze_  
_at each other for a moment._

YOUNG LORD  
These roses rival any I've seen in  
England. Or France. They are  
quite remarkable.

BAXTER  
Yes. Mr.- my Father in law to be  
has the gift.

_She faces him._

BAXTER (CONT'D)  
I would know you. If I passed you  
on the street or-

_Her voice breaks._

BAXTER (CONT'D)  
I would know you.

YOUNG LORD  
I have his eyes.

BAXTER  
You're mine. You couldn't belong  
to anyone else. It's like a  
mirror.

YOUNG LORD  
(He laughs.) It is.

_Baxter pulls out a handkerchief and turns her back._

YOUNG LORD (CONT'D)  
After I first met you I spent more  
time looking in the mirror than was  
advisable-it was a way to see you.

_Silence. He approaches her with gentle steps._

YOUNG LORD (CONT'D)  
Is it all right that I came to see  
you like this? You know he has  
died. You received my letter.

BAXTER  
Yes.

_He puts his hand on her wrist, shyly. She turns._

YOUNG LORD  
You can't know how glad I am that I  
favor you.

DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY. DAY.

_Daisy is looking for Patmore when she sees the back door open_  
_and hears voices._

_Daisy walks slowly outside. Ian and Patmore are talking._  
_They don't see her._

_Ian bursts into a broad laugh, which Daisy has never yet_  
_heard. She stares, then goes back inside, frowning._

MOSELEY ROSE GARDEN:

YOUNG LORD  
I've inherited. My parents are  
dead.

BAXTER  
Yes.

YOUNG LORD  
Can't I know you, now? I always  
knew you would be kind. I knew it.

_Baxter touches his cheek._

YOUNG LORD  
You know that my father sired-others. Sisters. I've found  
three. Two who grew up together,  
partly in the workhouse.

_Baxter makes a face._

YOUNG LORD (CONT'D)  
Yes. He allowed that to happen.  
And I've another sister who grew up  
not far from the estate. I want to  
move them all closer now, have them  
near me. Take care of them. If I  
can't have you quite so nearby,  
can't we-

BAXTER  
Yes. I never meant-I didn't want  
to hold back from you. But-

YOUNG LORD  
You were protecting me. I know.  
But now there's no need. I can  
look after you.

BAXTER  
Joe already does that. But I do  
want to know you. I want to-see  
you. Often.

_He holds her hands, his face full of joy._

HUGHES' OFFICE. DAY.

_Carson knocks on the open door. Hughes smiles at him._

HUGHES  
They are lovely. Thank you.

CARSON  
May I have your answer?

_He enters and waits._

HUGHES  
Yes. Saturday will be fine. But  
do I have to wait until then to  
find out the cause of the  
celebration?

CARSON  
I-I can't seem to talk about it  
yet.

HUGHES  
Well. All right.

CARSON  
You are very gentle, you know.

HUGHES  
I?

CARSON  
I wouldn't recommend it to anyone  
to lock horns with you. But you  
are a very gentle friend. Not all  
intelligent people are.

HUGHES  
These are lovely words.

CARSON  
And, do you know? (He hesitates) I  
don't know if I can wait to tell  
you about-the cause-either. I-I'm  
not sure I'm up to the task  
presented me.

_Hughes crosses the room, closes the door and rejoins him._

HUGHES  
We will still enjoy dinner on  
Saturday if you tell me about it  
now.

FRONT DRIVE. DAY.

_The car carrying Bates, Cora and Mary is gone, but a faint_  
_cloud of dust still lingers. The car that has just pulled_  
_around the drive is idling._

_Anna runs from the servant's entrance and jumps in the front_  
_passenger side._

_Tom drives, catching up with the other car but keeping just_  
_out of sight._

CAR INT.

_Anna has a newspaper on her lap and is tying a scarf over her_  
_hair._

TOM  
You'll be careful, won't you?

_Anna gives him a look._

TOM (CONT'D)  
I shouldn't be doing this.

_Anna is checking her pockets and fixing her hair around the_  
_scarf._

TOM (CONT'D)  
I know how I'd feel if my woman was  
sneaking behind my back to help me.  
Don't expect him to like it.

_Anna smiles at him._

_Tom laughs._

ANNA  
What?

TOM  
You just reminded me of someone,  
that's all.


End file.
